hatch

hatch¹

—hatchable, adj. —hatchability, n. —hatcher, n.

/hach/, v.t.

1. to bring forth (young) from the egg.

2. to cause young to emerge from (the egg) as by brooding or incubating.

3. to bring forth or produce; devise; create; contrive; concoct: to hatch a scheme.

v.i.

4. to be hatched.

5. to brood.

n.

6. the act of hatching.

7. something that is hatched, as a brood.

[1200-50; ME hacchen; akin to G hecken to hatch]

Syn. 1. incubate, brood. 3. plan, plot.

hatch²

/hach/, n.

1. Naut.

a. Also called hatchway. an opening, usually rectangular, in the deck through which passengers can pass, cargo can be loaded or unloaded, etc.

b. the cover over such an opening.

2. an opening that serves as a doorway or window in the floor or roof of a building.

3. the cover over such an opening.

4. Slang. the throat as used for drinking: His usual toast was a muttered "Down the hatch!"

5. Aeron. an opening or door in an aircraft.

6. the lower half of a divided door, both parts of which can be opened separately.

7. a small door, grated opening, or serving counter in or attached to the wall of a building, room, etc., as for a merchant's stall.

8. a bin or compartment built into a confined space, esp. a deep storage bin.

9. Auto.

a. the cargo area in a hatchback.

b. Also called liftgate. the hinged lid of a hatchback that swings upward to provide access to the cargo area.

10. anything resembling a hatch.

11. batten down the or one's hatches,

a. Naut. prepare for stormy weather: used as a command.

b. to prepare to meet an emergency or face a great difficulty: The government must batten down its hatches before the election.

[bef. 1100; ME hacche, OE haecc grating, hatch, half-gate; akin to D hek gate, railing]

hatch³

/hach/, v.t.

1. to mark with lines, esp. closely set parallel lines, as for shading in drawing or engraving.

2. hachure (def. 3).

n.

3. a shading line in drawing or engraving.

[1470-80; earlier hache < MF hacher to cut up, deriv. of hache ax. See HATCHET]

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